Everything We’ve Spent in the Last 5 Years! True Costs of Living in an RV

Is it cheaper to live in an RV than a sticks-and-bricks home? We break down ALL the numbers from the past 5 years so you know what RV living costs to expect. We include budget items like food, fuel, and health insurance, along with campground costs, RV insurance, vehicle maintenance, and more.
USE THESE LINKS TO SUPPORT OUR JOURNEY ⤵️
We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!
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★ Our Budgeting Software (You Need a Budget): kalynbrooke.com/refer/YNAB
★ Save 15% on a Harvest Hosts/Boondockers Welcome Membership: gr3f.co/c/53807/18w5v
★ Get a Traveling Mailbox (How We Receive Mail!) travelingmailbox.com/?ref=411
EXPLORE KALYN'S BUSINESS ⤵️
● Website: kalynbrooke.com/
● KZbin: / kalynbrooke
● Instagram: / kalynbrookeco
● Newsletter: kalynbrooke.com/email
● Shop: kbcreativeshop.com/
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00:00 Intro
00:43 The Common RV Expense We Avoid
03:38 Post Office Controversy
05:39 Why We Don't Buy a New Truck
08:46 Are We Cheap when it comes to Having Fun?
10:22 Dog Bed for Trinity (and other Pet Expenses)
12:24 This Expense Keeps going UP!
14:39 Our Biggest Expense
16:22 The Cost of Staying Clean
18:24 Trinity in her Happy Place
19:17 Our Most Important Expense (Starlink Review)
23:41 Another Joe Project Fail (RV Maintenance Expenses)
28:08 Insurance for RVers
31:10 Random Life Expenses + Final Numbers
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Hey there! We're Joe + Kalyn!
As online entrepreneurs, we thought, "why not work from home... on the road"? So in 2019, we bought and renovated a 2005 Jayco Designer Fifth Wheel, which took us to every state in the lower 48. But the economy hit our business especially hard after the 'vid, spurring us to pivot in new directions and try different strategies, including various RV work camping jobs!
Follow our full-time RV Life journey as we build back our bank accounts in order to fund the biggest RV trip of our lifetime-Alaska.
WE SEND ONLY FUN STUFF ⤵️
bit.ly/OpenRoadingUpdates
REAL-TIME UPDATES + STORIES FROM FULL TIME TRAVEL ⤵️
/ openroading
We participate in several affiliate programs. If you make a purchase through any of our links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you!

[@OpenRoading]

If you are one of our faithful viewers and commenters then you'll want to sign up for our twice a month newsletter. We have a special message going out to you on February 15th that we DO NOT want you to miss. SIGN UP BEFORE FEB. 15th ⤵ bit.ly/OpenRoadingUpdates

[@christophereverett5695]

Done

[@OpenRoading]

​@@christophereverett5695 Awesome! Thank you. -J

[@bkopiasz]

Yep Hurst Euless Bedford. H.E.B.

[@OpenRoading]

@@bkopiasz This is the third or fourth name I've seen associated with the letters...and the first one that doesn't have the last name of Butts. I don't know who to believe anymore! And I need to be able to pass as a true Texan within a few weeks! 😂 -J

[@lestermills5324]

If you get near Lubbock, let us know! Went to Alaska last summer.

[@rachel0brusseau]

Trinity’s coat looks so shiny, compared to when you first found her. She’s so lucky to have you two ❤

[@OpenRoading]

Kalyn brushes her pretty regularly and I'm sure having appropriate food is helping her as well (as opposed to all the human food she was getting before). -J

[@alpentreasures]

You are our new favorite KZbinrs! Thank you for taking in that beautiful baby. We are Senior Boxer Rescuers. We currently are finishing our 4 year flip, a 5 bedroom, 3 story, 1913 home. We bought this home for $4,750.(It had been through a fire) We have put around 25K into renovations, we are down to about 2 more months of work left. .

[@OpenRoading]

WOW! We've done some home renovations in the past but NOTHING like that! It must feel really good to be so close to the end (Although I bet you have those days of "Really....2 more months still!?" 😁 -J

[@alpentreasures]

@@OpenRoading Yes it is hectic but will be worth it... We worke camped a few years ago and can't wait to get back at it!!!

[@msales8670]

It’s not HEB it’s H.E.B. Enjoy Texas ❤

[@OpenRoading]

*sigh* And we tried so hard to not make the Texans mad.... 😂 Hopefully you find these out-of-staters shenanigans entertaining enough to forgive us. 😁 -J

[@msales8670]

@@OpenRoading You’re doing an awesome job. Love watching y’all.

[@OpenRoading]

@@msales8670 Thank you so much. That means a lot! -J

[@TK-76054]

@@OpenRoading One of the store's founders: Howard E. Butt

[@kimsneed2272]

TX Grocery Store Pro Tip- you can get away with saying ‘The HEB’😉😂

[@user-ch4ef6mx7b]

Love the transparency with your numbers & your flexibility to work camp. Remember, Trinity isn't shedding, she's "emitting magical fibers of joy!" 😂🐾 I keep reminding myself of that with my 2 , who I wouldn't be without either. Safe travels!!👍

[@OpenRoading]

Well I need some sort of an enchantment spell to help clean all these magical joy fibers out of every crevice of the RV. 😂😂😂 -J

[@cynthiamyers4265]

@@OpenRoading The struggle is real when it comes to dog hair!

[@earnestburditt9867]

In reference to shocks. Check leaf springs, see if they are starting to flatten out. (They should have an arch.) Check the shackles, and bolts for wear. You may need to remove them one at a tomato inspect for wear or cracks. Don't forget they three point pivot between the leaf springs, the bolt and bushing can definitely worn out. Check the mounting welds where they mount to the frame. Alaska is very hard on suspensions. One last thing is trailer tires are not really speed rated for prolong high speeds over 60 or65. It will cause tire separation on the tread prematurely.

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks for all that info!! We don't drive the RV faster than 63 on the speedomoter (which ends up being 59 according to most "your speed is" signs) so we're good there. All the suspension is holding up well but it wouldn't hurt to get it looked at by a professional for sure. -J

[@mikeellindonut2004]

The best dog bed I've ever had was a mattress from a crib, water doesn't hurt them no dog hair build up easy to clean and the perfect size for a large dog

[@sliphur]

And on this day, the “Great H-E-B Controversy” as it came to be known, was just one more stone laid on your path to wonderful adventures in Alaska! :) Here’s a little contribution to the cause, and maybe to help stock up the rabbit, canine, and human treats fund as well.

[@OpenRoading]

Wow. Thanks so much for your encouragement, and perspective. 😂 The day we tried not to "offend the Texans...." and utterly stepped in it. 😂 (The unintentional comedic timing of it all still gets me) -J

[@1stTrickiwoo]

You guys have made such a difference in Trinity's life. Bless you! If you think Trinity sheds, you should see what our 2 Pembroke Corgis leave in their wake! We call it Corgi Glitter.

[@OpenRoading]

haha! Yeah, I think we're pretty lucky on all ends with this dog, including the shedding. It's really not all that much. 😁 -J

[@dorothyvaness4257]

We started watching your videos and I have to tell you that keeping the dog made me continue. When I thought you were giving the dog up I told my boyfriend if they gey rid of the dog I'm done watching. I'm so glad you kept him. I have now subscribed myself. If your ever in the Philly area let us know. Would love to camp or meet up.

[@OpenRoading]

Kalyn and I have come to realize that we were one decision away from being cancelled. 😂 But we couldn't imagine life without Trinity. It was never a question whether or not we had a heart for her - just whether or not we were the best for her. But now she's stuck with us for life. Thanks so much for sticking around! If your on IG follow us there - we are much more "real time" with our travels so if we come through Philly and it shows up on a video....we're already gone. -J

[@wonderwalluk1568]

Fantastic post. Honest, straight to the point and detailed. IMO one of your best posts. Thank you for your "real world" posts, rather than the usual "Van-Life" posts I see from others where everything is all coffee pots and sunrises. Gotta love Trinity. You guys got super lucky with that little angel.

[@OpenRoading]

Here you get suspicious looking overnight oats, PB & J sandwiches and a 19 year old fifth wheel. 😁 We really did get lucky with Trinity. She's a dream. -J

[@Sparks_and_Rec_]

I appreciate y’all’s transparency (I’m convinced that’s one of the main reasons yalls channel is growing, I mean that in a good way) everyones life style or how they do full time rving is different and I appreciate how y’all showed everything. Thank you!

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much. We're still working on finding our footing for sure. It's fun to figure out exactly where our boundaries are going to be with regard to public vs. private but right now we are being very public about money because, well, we're saving money for a big adventure so it seems weird NOT to be transparent about it. I can promise you we will always be as real. We'll never be an act for clicks. We just take life as it comes, document it, and try our best to edit out the boring parts (of which there are many) or find a way to make the boring parts (like budgets) interesting. 🙂 What we so appreciate are people like you taking the time to drop a comment. We find it so incredibly encouraging, you can't even imagine how much it means to us. -J

[@theefficienthomestead8885]

Bless your hearts for saving that dog.

[@thinkingcloset]

My 3 favorite moments from this video: 1) Joseph taking us back to the 50s when he said “jeepers” at the loud vehicles 2) the “casual walking” behind Kalyn while she was running the numbers 😂 3) the outtakes at the end with Joseph asking folk to subscribe to see how the shocks sitch turns out…and then you two giggling about it. 🥰 Y’all are pure a delight to know as friends and watch on the KZbin! ❤

[@OpenRoading]

LAUREN! I feel like I should be telling you to get some sleep because this is 3 videos in one night and it's after midnight in your part of the world. 😁 Kalyn was so "mad" at me for the second one. It was completely unplanned 😂. As to number 1. 😂 We had someone compliment us for family friendly content and I was instantly taken to that scene I put in of Shrek 😬😬😬😬 But at least I say jeepers and darn it (and I'm sure at some point Kalyn saying "Sugar" will make it into an episode 😂 ) -J

[@thinkingcloset]

@@OpenRoading Bah ha ha, you know I'm here for the family friendly content. And I'm loving all your movie / TV show edits, Joseph. The theatrical timing is on point! Ha ha, you all accompanied me last night as I was tidying up after a very busy weekend. It was the best kind of binge-watching IMO-falling down the rabbit hole of @openroading's KZbin channel! Loved every second. And look forward to more binge-watching to come!

[@sandrathomas8117]

I enjoy watching y'all so much!!

[@mikeborkhuis7278]

I was fortunate that the RV I bought had a combo washer/dryer in it. So, I spend $0 at laundry mats. And enjoy the convenience of doing laundry any time.

[@OpenRoading]

That's a good perk! -J

[@carvingCode]

So happy you adopted your doggy.

[@anthonymartinez749]

Such a joy to watch always 🎉

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! I hope we made a somewhat mundane topic interesting and entertaining! -J

[@Heatherandthedogs]

I love, love, love how y’all are becoming Texans! ❤

[@OpenRoading]

One learned word at a time. 😂

[@hiwaydan]

Great video - as always. Thank you for sharing with us. Really enjoyed

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! -J

[@user-gb4ej3ud8n]

Great information, fantastic presentation, great video. Nice job!

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! I hope we kept a subject that can get boring...not boring. -J

[@TrailerTravelin]

Thanks for being so transparent and sharing a difficult subject. Safe Travels

[@OpenRoading]

You're welcome! It's always hard to compare budgets without seeing specifics because you don't know what's important to someone. Like if we just said we spend on average $3,600 a month but didn't disclose that we don't spend much on campgrounds, someone wouldn't really have a clear picture on how much RV life could cost in their situation if they love the campground life. All that to say, I guess, the more transparent we could be the more helpful we thought we could be. 🙂 -J

[@KAW5]

Great video! Thank you! Love Trinity’s new bed too!

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! -J

[@danettehead7353]

Trinity ❣️❣️❣️❣️ another great video 👍👍👏

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! -J

[@brandonszlamczynski6636]

im so glad you guys decided to keep her, she seems really happy

[@OpenRoading]

She is! And we're so happy to have her. -J

[@monicagreen9644]

Just found your channel and I’m loving it

[@OpenRoading]

Awesome! Thank you! -J

[@haznation1]

By the way, your editing is terrific. Very well done.

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you so much. We work hard at it! -J

[@cynthiamyers4265]

I love how you combined the 'day in the life' errand-running with the spending report. And you guys are killing it with your spending -- I'm impressed.

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much! I married a budget queen! -J

[@fistfulofgoldwing]

Excited to hear about your upcoming visit to Big Bend!!! My favorite place on Earth.... Can't wait to see! New to the channel, and I love following your experiences... Great content!

[@OpenRoading]

We're can't wait to go! Literally counting down the days over here. Starting to get a little stir crazy. -J

[@GregPrince-io1cb]

Love the content kids!!! 1 bite at a time!

[@OpenRoading]

FIRST COMMENT AWARD! 🥇 -J

[@DaPuddin78]

So glad y’all found Trinity and she seems like a perfect fit to yours guys family🐾🖤

[@OpenRoading]

She's fitting right in! Floating hair and all. 😂 -J

[@terrigue9639]

I’m so glad you gave Trinity a wonderful home.

[@OpenRoading]

We're lucky to have her. We believe that. -J

[@sandi5276]

I've just discovered your channel, and now watching all your videos. Ya all are the most likeable RVC on youtube!

[@OpenRoading]

What a huge compliment. Thank you. You may want to stop watching once you hit “we’re broke” if you are going from newest to oldest…watch content before that at your own risk. -J

[@user-ld3li7jn1f]

Enjoying the channel!! Down to earth lifestyle that we all can relate to in level!! Can’t l to find the to link the budget you talking about.

[@OpenRoading]

Here you go! kalynbrooke.com/refer/YNAB

[@scottphillips471]

You had me at RV shocks….. :-) subscribed!!!

[@OpenRoading]

LOL! Come back for the shocks! 😂 -J

[@jasonwitters7860]

Nice video. Good to see you have FURniture now with Trinity living with you. We have two Doggos, and they don't shed, they emit magical fibers of love and joy. Thank you for sharing and Safe Travels.

[@OpenRoading]

FURniture 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 -J

[@georgehartle8902]

Great video. You are driving a Ford in Texas, you fit right in!😊

[@OpenRoading]

😂

[@joyfullythriving]

Way to go! 🎉 You guys are living proof that you can have amazing experiences while still living on a budget! ❤ As for increasing expenses? We are all in the same boat, whether on the road or not. 😊 Another great video, you two! 👏

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much, Kristen. We would like to come close to your grocery savings skills though!! -J

[@ibbess]

My husband and I started watching you guys a couple of months ago. We love your honesty including your successes as well as your struggles. When you guys kept Trinity we were completely won over. We look forward to more videos and can’t wait for your Alaska trip. Much love and well wishes from the both of us.

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you for being here and taking the time to give us some encouragement. I'm pretty sure Trinity won us all over. That girl has been such an awesome addition to our family. Looking back I know why I was hesitant and i believe all the reasons were good and valid...but also looking back I can't imagine ever not adopting her. -J

[@wanderingwithwellness]

Hello. I so enjoy watching you four. 😊 I recently went to Big Bend - my TMobile home internet was a no go. My Cricket phone was hit & miss. I received an Amber Alert & a phone call standing in the Rio Grand river bed. It was so funny. My friend w/Verizon had no signal. It was amazing that park, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing.

[@OpenRoading]

Yeah...when we bought the starlink equipment from someone this past summer a big reason was because we wanted to visit Big Bend and we knew if we were going to work while we were there we would need something we could rely on. Can't wait to see it! -J

[@lisacrummett1279]

I so enjoy watching you guys. You’re so fun and entertaining. Thank you for making your videos. What’s funny is I don’t RV or ever have that interest but I just enjoy you guys.

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you so much for tuning in! We love that we get to connect with everyone each week! 🙌🏻 -K

[@1stTrickiwoo]

Our food budget has exploded as well. Our son asked me to go to the grocery store for oranges; I paid 5.98 for 4 oranges! We need to cut back on eating.

[@OpenRoading]

It's awful. And the more remote you get - the more expensive everything is. We spent over $150 on a half full shopping cart. 👀 It's just crazy. -J

[@embraceyourescape]

We live in our RV full-time as well. It is for sure not easy. We avoid campgrounds as much as we can. They just got too expensive. So we as well loooove boondocking much more which we try to portray on our YT channel as well. Especially to be honest bout negative things as well while RVing. Thanks for the video.

[@OpenRoading]

I've been discouraged by boondocking lately. We keep finding more and more trash at free places. I want to figure out a way to change that on a broader level than just a few of us picking up trash when we a camping. -J

[@debbiemccormack781]

Love the video and all that you're sharing! My husband ask me to mention on the wheel hub on your RV that you were working on the shock it appears the grease is heating up in your bearings and migrating out. You should check that and all your bearings and have them repacked or replaced every year. That could also be contributing to the unusual tire wear if somethings wrong with that hub's bearings.

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you. I think (and I'm not a professional) the grease is from my improper greasing of the bearings using the zert back in "We're Broke." I'm planning on getting the rig into a shop within the next 2 months to have the axles aligned, bearings repacked and/or replaced, and brakes completely serviced. That should be fun on the pocketbook. 😂 -J

[@pupcamper58]

Love Trinitys new bed ❤ oh the dreaded budget 😂 y’all do a great job. As always love watching your channel.

[@OpenRoading]

We were so nervous it would be too small but the girl is ALWAYS in it now 😂. It's either going for a walk, a run, eating, or laying in the bed. I think she's making up for all the nights she spent by the culvert. 🥲 -J

[@pupcamper58]

@@OpenRoading my little girl is a rescue too. I bought her a smaller bed than you would think she would need, but she loves to curl up in a ball. Trinity is one lucky girl!

[@FamilyGamersAA]

We've been using YNAB for 6 or 7 years too. It's really great for seeing where all the money goes AND planning for the future.

[@OpenRoading]

It took Kalyn years to find an app to replace her very detailed excel spreadsheets. 😁 I was skeptical when she started YNAB but she's never turned back! -J

[@FamilyGamersAA]

@@OpenRoading We went from detailed spreadsheets to Quicken, which we used for a decade. Switching to YNAB was hard after that long, but worth it; so much closer to how we actually wanted to budget!

[@thewanderingshores]

Thank you so much for being so open about your expenses. So often people sugarcoat what the real costs are. So glad that Trinity likes her new bed.

[@OpenRoading]

I was pretty surprised we weren't at 4K a month average. I think the fact that we eat so many PB&Js has saved us. 😂 But we were both saying off camera that if we had to move into a sticks and bricks tomorrow we're not sure we'd be able to afford it. Crazy how expensive houses are these days! -J

[@thewanderingshores]

@@OpenRoading so true, while we are not looking to settle down, the current costs are preventative of that, not to mention that our stream of income would not allow for many people to offer us a loan. Safe Travels- Kyle and Michelle

[@rachelpeacock6674]

Hi friends! You guys were a few blocks away from My my moms place! This was when you were fueling at strips. One of these days we will be exploring and camping and your budget info really helps, by the way, trinity has really adopted you two!

[@OpenRoading]

Oh nice! We spent nearly 3 months calling that area "Home" 😁 -J

[@amberdoran]

Take her outside and brush her with furminator type brush. And a brush for surfaces with long rubber bristles is great!! Also, when he was blowing his coat seasonally, I cut out the middleman and just vacuumed the dog. 😆

[@Steverino70]

What an interesting video. Did not think it could be done for that little annual amount.

[@OpenRoading]

The two major keys for us: Having a Truck and RV paid off. We bought them outright when we sold our home (both used). Then outfitting the RV so that we were comfortable boondocking. If you add monthly campground costs those numbers go up fast. -J

[@user-ur2qn1hg1o]

Thank you for sharing your budget. My "bucket list" trip will be to Alaska. I am not going to RV full-time, however, have a few places I would love to visit while spending 2 - 3 weeks on the road to drive out and back for vacations.

[@OpenRoading]

We plan on being transparent about all our expenses through our trip this summer! -J

[@pianogal853]

I'm glad to hear that you tithe - I heard you say you were God fearing folks - as a full time RVer, I feel pretty strongly about tithing my home church, or giving to churches Ii visit.

[@OpenRoading]

Everything is a blessing from God. We have lived with our financial backs against the wall, and we've lived in times where we felt "comfortable" and God has never let us down. It's a simple act of faith, worship and of gratefulness. 🙂 -J

[@patleonard2884]

Fantastic video! I love numbers. ❤️ We separete personal and general household from our food category also. 😊

[@OpenRoading]

Woo hoo! It's weird to us to have them combined! -J

[@patleonard2884]

Like you, I just want to see what we are spending on food, not anything for the home or personal. Gives us pause, I think...lol!

[@OpenRoading]

This past year Kalyn every month has been "Pausing" and I've been like "You can't help it! When everything at the store has gone up in price...the amount we spend is going to go up because I'm a big fan of being able to eat!" 😂@@patleonard2884

[@patleonard2884]

@@OpenRoadingWe are big fans of eating too! 🤣

[@wildrvlife]

Ok this is awesome.. 5 years worth of data?? I. Am. Here. For. It. 🙌💯

[@OpenRoading]

You should see the spreadsheet 😂 -J

[@361BigWorm]

Love your channel heeeeebb lol

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks so much and.... oh boy.... didn't know we were stepping into that hornets nest when we hit post on this one. 😂 It's like being in upper Michigan and saying Mack-in-ack Island instead of Mack-in-naw. 😂 -J

[@ChainsawFilms]

Great vid and info. Was cool to see you go to my hometown of Odessa. Glad I moved 20 years ago. Lol.

[@OpenRoading]

Don't make the Texans mad!!!! 😂 -J

[@ChainsawFilms]

@@OpenRoading 🤣🤣🤣

[@M.Campbell]

For the dog hair, a shedding blade (looks like a single metal loop with a handle) works great, even when they aren't blowing their coat. Just give her a good brush with it when she is outside and it will really help with the hair inside. Also, next time you get to a Costco, they sell bulk packs of the sticky rollers.

[@OpenRoading]

Bulk Packs of Sticky Rollers!!! I'm IN!! I think I've seen one of those blades before. I'm gonna have to look into that. We have a brush and she loves it...but it doesn't seem to pull much hair off. Which is odd because hair. is. everywhere. 😂 -J

[@E6fireman237]

Do not know if you have heard of the TSD open roads fuel program, but it will save you a lot on diesel.

[@OpenRoading]

Just got it this year! -J

[@profoundseeker9434]

You guys seem to be really frugal, so we would like to buy you guys a good lunch somewhere,,, please enjoy on us… we love y’all

[@OpenRoading]

Ya'll are too incredibly sweet. We will forgo a PB&J lunch on future travel day and stop at a restaurant instead. 🙂 We appreciate you! This paragraph isn't a ploy to increase our newsletter subscriber numbers....if you haven't subscribed please do - we have a special email going out on the 15th that is directed at people like you who have been so encouraging over the past 4 months. I promise you can unsubscribe right after you get the email, but we would really like you to receive it. -J

[@profoundseeker9434]

@@OpenRoading you have a link for the newsletter ?

[@OpenRoading]

@@profoundseeker9434 Ha... that would have been handy. I'm a genius over here bit.ly/OpenRoadingUpdates

[@BenjaminMedlock]

What wireless mic's do you use? Great video.

[@OpenRoading]

They are DJI mics: We just got them but so far we are really liking their versatility: amzn.to/3HT4sfc You can hook the receiver directly onto your phone and with 2 mics you can do stereo or mono. And they REALLY cut down on noise! -J

[@jerseymopartruckandcampert9933]

There is an EFS card that's just for deisel campers. It offers discounts off the pump price. I have one and have it linked to a separate bank account just for deisel. It's part of open roads.

[@OpenRoading]

Yes! Have it and love it! Now if I could only get them to sponsor the channel! Is there a better match made ever? Open Roads....Open Roading?! -J

[@wolverinealaska6937]

Again a very entertaining video. You 2 bring the energy. I am looking into starlink for our new travel van. Do you know the difference between the standard and the flat high performance beside the big price difference? I need it for streaming Michigan football games and video conference.

[@OpenRoading]

We have friends who use the residential version of starlink (even though the RV) and we're going to be near each other at some point. I'll be able to do a real world test then! For streaming you should be fine with either, and even for conference calls. We typically get 100-140mbps down and somewhere between 8-14mbps up. IF you have T-mobile 5G coverage in your area I might consider that though. When are in good Tmobile spots the speeds are blazing for just $50 a month. Thanks again for the support. Such a huge and unexpected encouragement each week. 🙂 -J

[@aklohis8683]

Your videos are thoroughly enjoyable. Thanks for sharing all the financials - helpful. Still think you both are adorable. Love finding out you are Christians. We are too!!

[@OpenRoading]

So glad you found it helpful! And it's always wonderful to find people online who you share an extra connection with. 🤗 -J

[@user-ll9yx8hb2x]

Pet fur = Pet glitter. Repairs......I applaud your determination to keep working through the problems. You ultimately overcome which is awesome and gives all of us hope that we could tackle within reason.

[@OpenRoading]

Someday....A project will just take the 2 hours I planned for it. -J

[@russellsnyder5630]

T-Mobile doesn't work longer than a month here in Alaska, visible works great on the road system, att cell coverage is the best

[@denisemckerlie]

Hey guys! You mentioned what you use for internet besides Starlink but I can't find it now. What works the best for doing your KZbin videos? Also, what editing software do you use? Thanks! Love watching you!

[@OpenRoading]

For internet we have the following chain: - TMobile home: Unlimited internet $50 a month. if that doesn't work - Verizon Hotspot on Kalyns phone: You'll need to consult your Verizon plan, we have 50GB of hotspot data per month available on her plan. if that doesn't work - We turn on our Starlink Roam: Unlimited internet $150 a month when turned on. Needs a clear view of the sky. if that doesn't work.......we move. 😂 For editing software we use Wondershare Filmora. I highly recommend it for anyone not super familiar with how to edit. There are tons of tutorials and if you ever decide you need something more powerful like Adobe Premier or Final Cut it is an excellent stepping stone. I have also heard a LOT of good things about Davinci Resolve and have a friend that has told me I should switch from Filmora to that for what it's worth. I'm gonna keep using Filmora for at least the remainder of this year - I have only very minor complaints with it. -J

[@traci635]

Do you change your clothes daily? If you can use the same pants and comfy clothes multiple days, same as sleepwear, you will save. Somethings you can hand wash and hang dry, that will help you save on the amount of laundry as well

[@OpenRoading]

Not to get to personal....but we re-wear a lot of clothes. 😂 -J

[@kathycheesman2877]

Omgosh! remodeled our fifth wheel and it looks so much like yours! Where did you get your roller shades?

[@OpenRoading]

We made them.... (It was a group effort between us and our mothers actually) 😁 Here's the TLDR breakdown - Cheap vinyl shades from Lowes - Remove the vinyl - Cut fabric to size (make it a few inches longer than the window) - sew a space for the bottom rod and surge or fraycheck the cut ends - use double sided frabric tape to attache to the rollers. We doubled the fabric - which meant we also had to sew a horizontal line across the shade every couple of inches or else the fabric would bunch when you tried to roll it up. We also sprayed them with scotch guard to help prevent fading. We probably should have done that every year but it really has helped even with just the 1 application. -J

[@kathycheesman2877]

@@OpenRoading thank you so much for the info!!

[@rachelpeacock6674]

I have a short haired pet and believe me you have to brush them every day. Pet smart has a furburator, when we take Buddy for a bath he gets the furburator treatment 😊and it helps big time.

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks for the tip! -J

[@thorinschmidt4764]

Bowling Green, MO you can do a load of laundry (wash and dry) for $2 per load at the laundromat. It *looks* sketchy, but it is just old.

[@OpenRoading]

That's awesome! We've seen the inside of so many laundromats I know exactly what you mean by "it's just old." You generally figure out the sketch factor by that gut feeling as you do your laundry. Like when you see small plastic baggies getting exchanged by the dryer named "Stan" (true story) you know it's legit sketch. 😂 -J

[@thorinschmidt4764]

@@OpenRoading I do in fact know what you mean. BG is not terribly far from St. Jouis after all. It is a lot closer to Hannibal, MO, though. If you ever decide to explore the hometown of Mark Twain and Molly Brown, we have a nicew little campground and a cheap laundromat waiting for you!

[@OpenRoading]

@@thorinschmidt4764 Perfect!

[@Badgerpapa]

To get pup hair under control get a good brush, take her outside and brush her daily, after a while you will only need to do it weekly, but you need to get all the hairs now loose off. If she will let you vacuum her that helps also. Stay safe and healthy.

[@OpenRoading]

Kalyn currently brushes her every day or every other day. We'll keep going at it! 😁 I had to laugh at the vacuum comment because Trinity would go after a coyote in a second but she cannot run far enough away from our little vacuum. If I even grab it she's running to the other side of the RV. 😂 There is some deep trauma in there somewhere. 😂 -J

[@drewd9736]

I bought a 0.9 cu ft Comfee washing machine (now $254) for my RV off AMZN. It will do a full set of queen size bedding or similar in one load and only uses about 15 gallons of water per wash. Given you generally have access to water that should be no issue. That and a 30lb (or better) hotel style pull out drying line and laundry costs me nothing but detergent.

[@OpenRoading]

We generally boondock the vast majority of the year so 15 gallons is quite a bit for us. -J

[@mikeweis5925]

I just love your common sense approach to finances and life. Is there a way to send you a message on a personal / confidential level?

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you so much for saying that! You can email us at [e-mail] - K

[@rogergraves242]

It will do Fine as Long as U do U-R Maintenance.

[@RustyShackle1776]

Awesome breakdown guys! My wife and I were comparing notes and seeing how our expenses stack up. Couple of questions, what’s your emergency fund look like? Do you take a set amount each month and contribute? And do you have additional savings on top of the emergency fund?

[@OpenRoading]

So, if you've followed our journey over the past 4 months you'll know we were in a really rough state financially (go back 16 videos to the one titled "We're Broke") We've been working hard to build things back up. -J

[@RustyShackle1776]

@@OpenRoading Yup, we saw that. Broke means different things to different people though. Sometimes that can mean just being out of “spending” money. Other times it means you’re really down to your last dollar. That’s how we usually run on the road lol. We’ve pulled into workcamping gigs running on fumes man. Hope you’re enjoying Texas. We’re down in the Deep South by the border. And don’t be talking about HEB like that 😄.

[@OpenRoading]

True true. Yeah, we were barely making ends meet. We were not destitute but one major truck repair away from disaster. But it lit a fire under me personally and everyone on here has been so incredibly encouraging as we have hustled our butts off to try to change our circumstances for the better (and not return to that situation again). -J

[@gr6696]

Since you were there, taking the wheels off good time to do bearing greasing on your hubs, just saying you probably have a maintenance schedule for that it’s always good to do your own work. At least you know it’s done maybe not correctly ha ha just joking. Great video love the cost breakdown. Good on you and your adventures. All I can say is keep it up😎😎😜😜😁😁😂😂😂❤️

[@OpenRoading]

No you are 100% correct. It would have been a good time to do it. I greased them with a gun back in September and was kindly informed on here that I was doing it incorrectly...so I'm a little gunshy on it at the moment and didn't want to take the time to do the research. I'm hoping to get a professional to look over all the bearings this year. -J

[@rosekraemer8205]

Amazing my husband always has just 5 minute projects that last 5 days lol

[@OpenRoading]

Your husband and I would get along well. -J

[@AuctionBoss]

Use a metal blade on your Sawzall (Reciprocating saw) and cut that shock screw rod down 2"-2.5", then file a taper angle end to start the bolt into the threads. Good Luck and God Bless you guys!

[@OpenRoading]

Thanks for the idea. We bought different shocks and I think we will be better off. Those ones, even if we got them on, would have been almost fully compressed at rest which would give us very little benefit while driving. So We got a different set. Installing (hopefully) this weekend! -J

[@PD-we8vf]

@@OpenRoadingthis will be good video. Show us this repair.

[@OpenRoading]

@@PD-we8vf I'm not doing anything with a sawzall...but I will show putting the correct shocks on the vehicle. Won't be the next video but most likely the video after. -J

[@JimmieBerg-mn2yg]

Love your channel. Just so you know - The fabulous Texas grocery is H E B - each letter separately! It is not said as a name Heb I used to work for them in San Antonio and the HEB branded products are promised to be equal to or better than the name brand. My boss was over the plants that made the food and we tasted products a lot! Thanks for shopping there and be safe on your journey. Give Trinity a huge hug.

[@OpenRoading]

Trinity hugs given and appreciated with an unsolicited lick to the face. Yeah...we tried so hard to fit in here in Texas but we still gave ourselves away 😭 😂😂 -J

[@JimmieBerg-mn2yg]

@@OpenRoading You fit in just fine! Pecos is a bit dry and dusty and can have a blizzard now and then.

[@JimmieBerg-mn2yg]

@@OpenRoading You fit in just fine! Pecos is a bit dry and dusty and can have a blizzard now and then.

[@OpenRoading]

@@JimmieBerg-mn2yg Dry and dusty is a very apt description. -J

[@vanderwielen]

Consider getting the new T mobile at home router that has the 4x4 Mimo external antennas. Mount the antenna on the roof.

[@OpenRoading]

How much extra coverage will that get us? Often times when it doesn't work we are out in the middle of nowhere. -J

[@vanderwielen]

@@OpenRoading It won't magically create cell service were none exists, but an external MIMO antenna will extend your range and will allow better connections to the n25 and n41 frequencies, which are the very high speed frequencies.

[@josephcomings]

@@vanderwielenI’ll have to look into it. We had a we boost and I wasn’t impressed with it. 😕

[@TravelingWithSpecialAbilities]

No, it's not "Here Everything's Better." H-E-B is an abbreviation for Howard E. Butt, the son of the store's founder, Florence Butt, who first opened a small grocery store in Kerrville. So it the letter H, the letter E, and the letter B. Not heb. Oh I learned fast living here in Texas. I am originally from Boston Ma. Better learn fast y'all!

[@OpenRoading]

And we tried so hard not to make the Texans angry. 😂 -J

[@TravelingWithSpecialAbilities]

@@OpenRoading Good luck lol!!! Ive stepped in it often living here! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👍🥰

[@MelissaC269]

Hey, I found your channel just yesterday and I've been binge watching since. lol. Love your content. I just wanted to tell you the music on this video vs. the other videos I've seen seems to be louder. I have a weird sound distraction quirk and it was hard to listen to what you were saying with the music volume so high. I have not noticed it on other videos. It seems to just be this one. Just wanted to throw that out there to maybe keep in mind for the future. Sometimes neurodivergent folks like me have a hard time concentrating on the message and start tuning in to the background sound instead. It's lovely. Ok. Now back to binge watching your channel. Thank you.

[@OpenRoading]

Thank you for letting us know! I think we were still working on the best volume to use and have definitely toned it down in our most recent videos. We definitely want everyone to enjoy them. Appreciate you watching!! -K

[@MelissaC269]

@@OpenRoading Keep up the good job! All of this is so interesting to watch. RV life is not for me. (I do travel a lot, but need a home base.) But I love to learn about it and follow some KZbin channels, and now yours!

[@OpenRoading]

We think a home base will be in our future some day. But for now, home is where the wheels are. -J@@MelissaC269

[@MarkYerkes-yi9vh]

Do you have an external cell booster like Weboost? We did a generic booster at home and it made a huge signal difference

[@OpenRoading]

We got a weboost year one and only had marginal success with it. Eventually it stopped working all together so we got rid of it and haven't tried again. At the cost (last I looked they were a few hundred bucks) I need really noticeable changes in service and speeds. -J

[@chelu4u]

Love the editing incorporating funny Shrek lol

[@OpenRoading]

YAY! Gotta admit it was my favorite moment in the video. 😂 -J

[@kencotton4645]

As you will probably figure out, if you took the axle off the blocks so it can drop down, I think you would be able to mount the shock.

[@OpenRoading]

From my further research this shock is too large for this vehicle. I was able to return the shocks and get ones that are the correct size. I dropped the jack down as far as I dared (with the weight of the RV being supported by just the other axle on the one side and I still had a good inch and a half to make. I think even if I did manage to get that set on there would be so little room left in the compression zone that they would have been useless. That said...I am not a mechanic! Going to put the new ones on this weekend (i hope) because we will probably be moving soon! -J

[@kencotton4645]

@@OpenRoading The person on the scene has a much better grasp of the problem and possible solutions. Good luck with the replacements. I'm glad you were able to get your money back on the first set. You have probably already done this, but while you are waiting for the new shocks to arrive, now would be a good time to spray some WD-40 or other type of anti-seize on those old nuts. You mentioned what a struggle you had getting the first nut loose.

[@OpenRoading]

@@kencotton4645 For sure! Gotta do that! Thanks! -J

[@r8edrv4fun65]

The dog will love to see you two enjoying her new bed while she is on the couch 😂

[@OpenRoading]

It's what she's working toward! 😂 -J

[@GenderSkins]

Thanks for insulting Texans by pronouncing it as HEB, instead of H.. Eee. Be. As well as lumping all of Texan’s into one catagory! And just an FYI! Some of us Texans love Kroger’s, Safeway, Walmart aka (Wally World), United, ALDI which is improperly pronounced by most American’s as a German Grocery. We also like pretty much any place that sell’s FOOOD!!! lol. And yes I can hear my daughter who works at H.E.B. having a conniption fit over you calling it HEB! So tanks for the laugh I got as well. Oh an I am actually not upset over your mis-pronunciation of H.E.B, as I did the same thing when I moved to Austin, and started shopping there. And yes I am a native Texan, I just had to give you guys a hard time as Yankee’s. lol.

[@OpenRoading]

Love everything about this comment. I got about to Aldi before I was like... wait... they aren't really mad. 😂 -J

[@Faith-FullTravelers]

We have so much in common in how we travel! Where do you get the B roll stock videos (like the inserted Shrek video)?

[@OpenRoading]

So the clips from movies I get from Yarn.co (Although there has to be a simpler way to download them than the hoops I jump through. I'm probably missing something easy on the site.) As to random Broll clips that aren't from us (Like any actual Alaska footage we have shown) we have a subscription to Envato Elements and we get some stock video from there as well as all our music. I am pretty sure though we are going to switch to Artlist.io later this year. I haven't been thrilled with Envato as of late. -J

[@Faith-FullTravelers]

Thank you! I'll do some more of my KZbin research and let yall know if I find anything that's easier! @@OpenRoading

[@skeetermalcolm1655]

I really don't know what to say because I think that if you rent nowadays it's expensive but we are lucky to camp where we work and no rent, built a laundry shed on primeses and put water in and tied to septic

[@OpenRoading]

Rent is so crazy! If we were to stop RVing and "settle down" as people like to say...I don't think our expenses would be anywhere near as low as $3.6K a month. -J

[@rogergraves242]

Stay out of California & Pennsylvania,Canada is also Expensive So use A discount Cards R points systems. Cashback / R upside is A Good-1 And Try to use Shell Fuel. Stay out of Trk Stops -4 Laundry. Double sometimes 3-X’s to wash especially TA Trk stop I’ve paid $3.75 A Load to wash & DryEach when I was done sometimes it would be $40.00 to $50.00

[@OpenRoading]

Canada is kinda on the way to Alaska...so...not gonna be able to avoid that 😂. Thanks for the heads up about truck stop laundry! -J

[@bobbyprewitt7834]

Just wanting to know what tires you have on your truck

[@OpenRoading]

BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 🛞 -J

[@mikeellindonut2004]

Thank you for your videos, and I'm glad I found you 2 , I have been trying too get my wife to live the rv life but she will not, so you 2 fill a void I have ,

[@OpenRoading]

I'm just gonna put this out there...Kalyn wanted to do this for a few years before I would even consider it as a possibility. Somehow we ended up watching Less Junk More Journey during our dinners and slowly...over time....I was like... "That kinda looks like fun." Now I'm gonna be real...Our channel is a bit more "gritty" the LJMJ was back then so I'm not sure we're gonna have that effect on your wife by showing 70 mile and hour winds and 9 degree nights 😂 But I'm hoping that once we wrap up work camping that we'll have some more exciting less traumatic content for you 😂 -J

[@X.N.X.X.]

9:04 yeah welcome to Texas

[@OpenRoading]

🤣 - K

[@OutdoorTraveler]

Very close to us in the annual expenses. Trying hard to be able to do that off my own business as well but still working on it. Fingers crossed I'll get there someday. (no, not trying through youtube)

[@OpenRoading]

Yeah! You can get there. It's soo tough but we believe the entrepreneurship path, while it can have a very low floor (like we've experienced) the potential is so great. We're pushing and hoping to meet that potential. -J

[@OutdoorTraveler]

My primary goal is just to afford our current lifestyle while being my own boss and loving my work. If I get rich, that's just icing on the cake.

[@OpenRoading]

@@OutdoorTraveler Same! Although I'd like to be able to start setting something aside for the future as well without having to workcamp. That's kinda the fire that got lit under me this past fall. -J

[@mariannejensen5244]

I’m glad to know I’m not a monster. Haha. I prefer to end on the whole dollar for car fuel!

[@OpenRoading]

😂-J

[@lakeseminole]

Someone was just a little bit cranky having to turn back for the debit card and it wasn't him!

[@OpenRoading]

Bhahahaha. If you knew just how many times we've had to turn around for things I forget.... you'd be amazed at her patience. -J

[@jerseymopartruckandcampert9933]

AT&T works every where. The military also uses them.

[@OpenRoading]

We're planning on getting an AT&T hotspot for a project we want to do next winter. But I can assure you having traveled with friends who have AT&T...it does not work EVERYWHERE. 😂 (I'm being stupid here - I'm sure you meant it just has really good coverage. 🙂)-J

[@WarJeeper]

The upload on Starlink is more to do with the wattage of the little satellite so it can push info out. Dragging info in doesn’t take the same amount of wattage. The new hardware is supposed to be better I guess. I run uploads overnight while sleeping because it is so slow. However teams meetings work just fine which you would think would be worse than a bulk upload with so much data going both ways 🤷‍♂️. I might add the T-Mobile to my options your the second channel who had good things to say about it!

[@OpenRoading]

Don't get Tmobile. I want to keep the bandwidth free for us. 😂 (I kid I kid... we love it). -J

[@jacobravenwood7968]

Yup, you've got to be careful with the modern day. United States Postal Service. Where we live. We have no mailboxes. Everyone gets their mail from PO boxes at the same postal branch. And we were 2 days late paying for our PO box. the lady working at the Post Office held our mail from us and said she wouldn't give it to us until we paid for the PO. Box. Well, we looked it up, and that is highly illegal for her to do so. We contacted the Postmaster, and he got the situation squared right away very quickly. 😅

[@OpenRoading]

Like anywhere some people let a little bit of power go to their head. 😂 -J

[@manmachineroam9984]

Internet in the United States is terrible. We need to be like South Korea… You can download an entire movie in like a minute and upload speeds are amazing.

[@OpenRoading]

Yeah. Generally when we are super remote I don't complain about speeds...but I did think starlink was going to be faster than it has turned out to be thus far. I do know the "roam" get's a lower priority than the residential plan so that's probably a lot of it. We also got our equipment second hand so there's a possibility that there's issues there as well. I know the motors on the dish don't work but thankfully it's stuck in the deployed position and not the stowed position. -J